I was looking forward to this walk there is something about a day along the river that always appeals to me, maybe if from a childhood memory and the happy times I spent wandering along the river bank with my fishing rod hoping to catch a sighting of some huge fish and then catch it and it’s like the saying goes there is no such thing as a bad days fishing, well today there would be no fishing, unless Edwina starts to misbehave then with a shove she will be joining the fish and I suppose that I would fish her out ( or I might not )

Anyway luck would have it that the walking gang from the Northumberland –walking group was having a wander down this way as well , normally I would jump at the chance to join them , but today I just wanted to do my own thing rather than a set route , I had a rough route in my head that would take in :-

LOW FORCE

Then a wander along the river using the Pennine way and have a look at

HIGH FORCE

Then still staying on the Pennine way head up along the river till we came to the stone quarry were if things went to plan we would get to have a look at

BLEABECK FORCE

Where we would stop for lunch and just take in the views , I have always found this spot a contradiction to my senses , there is the views up the valley totally unspoilt & lovely , and a gem of a waterfall and a bloody eye saw right in front of you , but somehow they seem to sum up this area , its rugged and unspoilt and even the quarry seems to add to this feeling I get , anyway after lunch we would wander back down then stop at the café in the old church where Edwina was going to spend some her ill gotten money an treat me to coffee and cake (at this time of planning she didn’t know this …yet) then after a snack we would head up to pay a visit to

GIBBSON’S CAVE

And if all went well we should pass

SUMMERHILL FORCE

On the way up, then it was my plan to wander back to the car and drive to the car park opposite the entrance to

HIGH FORCE

And have a wander down there so we get to see it from both sides and from a high and point ………..good plan eh?

Anyhow I run it past Bob dog who said it sounded ok as long as I remembered his beef and treats and let Edwina know, much to my surprise she was happy to tag along with me (I still think that she after some award for doing her care in the community thing) but she did say that she would like to say hello and have chat with some of her friends before we went our separate ways so that was all sorted.

Come the morning Gear was thrown into the car , Bob dog jumped in and we were off with a small detour to get food and ……yes you guessed it bob’s roast beef , a another quick stop to pick up Edwina and much to Bob’s delight she had brought Rosie dog along for the day as weather wise things looked good.

Due to some fantastic driving we got there in plenty of time, Edwina had her natter with her friends then we set off doing what I had planned, we had an extended stop at Low force as it looked like the “mountain rescue guys” (it might not have been mountain rescue) were have a training day playing in the rough water at low force, then did the rest of the route that I had planned on our way back we called into the converted church at the Bowless visitors centre for after noon drinks and cake …..

Edwina did treat me to coffee and cake (Nom Nom thank you very much) and was very naughty and got a jug of pouring cream to pore all over the cake so if we turn into a couple of porkers it’s all her fault but it was very tasty, the staff even gave us a couple of doggy treats for the pup’s which was a nice thing to do, then it was up to mooch around Gibson’s cave, which isn’t really a cave as such just a lovely waterfall.

Then back at the car and a quick drive down to the road, parking was in the car park opposite the entrance to path down to high force, now normally there is a small charge to park up and another charge to visit the falls but whoever was in charge had buggered off home so that was a few £ saved, looking at the notice board it was supposed to be open for a while yet, but we didn’t care and off we went heading down the path totally ignoring the honesty box ( I will say that I was pleased that Edwina resisted the urge to break into the honesty box) however some miserable sod had shut the gate restricting access to the water’s edge , ( mick now goes into rant mode) over the years I have been coming down here I have seen this change from you could go anywhere at any time to this , talk about HEALTH AND SAFETY going mad , firstly they stopped you going up above the falls were I spent many hours just sitting and enjoying the falls , now they are restricting access to the water edge when its closed , we could have climbed over the gate but we could see High force (after all it is massive ) from where we was , I also noted that the money tree seem to have disappeared , it could have been washed away or the money grabbing hse mad council could have nicked it , it could be argued that there have been some deaths at this water fall which is very true and sad and something had to be done , but there will always be deaths when out and about and a shut gate won’t stop anyone who wants to end it all from doing the deed, what I am saying is we don’t need to live in a nanny state and I wonder how long it is before they move the gate to the entrance to the path restricting all views …………..ok rant over , despite the gate being shut and despite this rant it didn’t alter my mood , the pups were having a great time , the sun had finally come out and it had been a great day , Naturally Edwina had packed the tea making gear and we sat around drinking tea whilst we sorted out gear out for the drive back home , we walked about 7.56 miles according to my trusty GPS with only 826ft of the ups and downs all very easy walking , a good day made better by Edwina and Rosie dog .

A few photos:

Approaching low force from the side, in the wetter month’s water is gushing down here as well

Low force

WHO is this good looking model?

A very happy Edwina

Some training exercise going on I think

Low force taken from the suspension bridge

Sometimes I really do think that I shouldn’t be let out

Edwina and Rosie dog showing how it should be done

Low force from the Pennine way

Bob dog mooching around, he loves being out for the day

A couple of photos as we make our way up the Tee’s

High force

Same again

Looking down over the fall (what you can’t feel here is how noisy it is)

A few more photos as we head upstream

First sighting of Bleabeck force

Heading up towards the fall, a good spot for lunch out of the wind

Up-close

Playing silly buggers showing the sensor knee off

Trying for a smoky water photo

Edwina feeling a bit cool now we have stopped …time to get going again

Last look

What an eye sore

Looking down the river

Old ruined barn

Old farm / small holding (seen better days)

Looking towards Howick

Bob dog having a quick drink (before you all start I do carry water and a bowel for him)

Not sure what I am looking at here

Summerhill force (I think)

Up close

Troll hole?

First sighting of the waterfall at Gibson’s cave

A few more photos

Heading towards the car now

Now walking towards High force, looking down at the river Tee’s

A distant High force waterfall

A few more photos as we make our way up & back again

Last photo, taken from the car park were we had tea, what a lovely evening a good way to finish a great day out

Day after thoughts

Due to the slow easy pace today , I didn’t have any problems with my stump or didn’t have any aches or pains in the morning , the Sensor knee behaved itself very well all day , I did have to stop and remove the seal at one point and put it back on again , but that’s all part and parcel of being an amputee and I think that was because the weather is starting to get warmer and I’m starting to sweat that little bit more now .anyway a great day out with great company , thank you